Sixth-grade math students have been learning about ratios, proportions, and unit rates. Our math teachers turned this academic exercise into hands-on learning. Students were divided into groups, and each group received strips of paper from different paper towel brands. They examined their strips and hypothesized which brand would be the most absorbent.
After noting their predictions, the groups ran the lab. Students held the paper towel strips in cups of water for pre-determined lengths of time (10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, etc.). They then measured the length of the paper towel strip that was saturated.
Then it was time to math. Students used their new math skills to determine the unit rate (centimeters per second) of each paper towel strip to determine absorbancy.
Parents of sixth graders, ask your mathematicians which brand of paper towels you should buy!
